Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4459
ISABELLA CANNON PAPERS
Initial Inventory
Abstract: Correspondence, subject files, photographs, tapes,
clippings, and other material, ca. 1920-1991,
documenting the life of Isabella Walton Cannon (b.
1904), mayor of Raleigh, N.C., 1977-1979. Included is
documentation of Cannon's activities as mayor, as well
as material relating to her interests in women's
rights, senior citizens, and other civic affairs, and
correspondence and other items from her years as the
wife of a U.S. State Department official serving in
China and Liberia, 1945-1954.
Online Catalog Terms:
Cannon, Isabella.
Raleigh (N.C.)—Politics and government.
Women in politics—North Carolina—20th century.
Women mayors—North Carolina—Raleigh.
Size: About 6700 items (10.5 linear feet).
Date Span: 1920-1986.
Provenance: Received from Isabella Cannon of Raleigh, N.C., in
July and September 1986, January 1987, September
1989 (Acc. 89111), July 1991 (Acc. 91093), and
February 1997 (Acc. 97040).
Access: Accession of September 1989 closed pending review by
donor. Use of video or audio tapes may require
production of viewing or listening copies. Otherwise,
no restrictions.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers,
or their descendants, as stipulated by United
States copyright law.
RESUME*
Isabella Walton Cannon
Birth Date: 1904
Education:
Winecoff High School
Kannapolis, N.C. - 1920
Elon College - Bachelor of Arts
(English and Science Majors) - 1924
Elon College, Post-Graduate work: Religious Education
Dramatics and Speech
Graduate Study, American University, Washington, DC -
1944-1945
Graduate Study, North Carolina State University:
Anthropology
Creative Writing
Elon College, Honorary Degree: Doctor of Laws - 1978
Employment:
1924-1925 High School teacher, Elon College High School
1925-1928 Director, Elon College weekday experimental
school of religious education
1928-1930 Cashier, Elon Banking and Trust Company
1932-1935 Assistant registrar and manager of College Book
Store, Elon College
1936 Burlington Business College - English teacher
1936-1941 Volunteer work, church and community activities.
Husband's work necessitated several moves to
different cities. Volunteer work was at Elon,
Washington, N.C., and Raleigh, N.C.. Primarily
church related and civic volunteerism.
1942-1943 Radio Station WRAL, Raleigh, N.C. - bookkeeper,
payroll manager, managed broadcast log for
billing
1944-1945 French Supply Council, Washington, DC -
supervisor, Department of Statistics (a
lend-lease procurement operation, with much
contact with both French government officials
and U.S. government officials)
1945-1947 United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation
Administration, Washington, DC - interviewer
for overseas financial clearance for returning
and terminating personnel
1947-1954 Overseas with husband in diplomatic service
1955-1970 Library, North Carolina State University, Office
of the Director - budget, payroll, and
personnel assistant
1977-1979 Mayor of Raleigh, N.C.
Honors and Activities:
North Carolina Senior Citizens Association, Inc.
President, 1982
Vice President, 1979-1981
University Park Homeowners Association, Inc.
President and Organizer, 1981
North Carolina State University Humanities Foundation, Inc.
Board of Directors, 1981
Women in Business Advisory Council, Inc.
First Vice President, 1979
Committee on Constitutional Integrity, Inc.
Board of Directors, 1982
Hillsborough Street Task Force, Raleigh, N.C., 1981
Initiator and member: Long Range Study from State
Capitol to State Fairgrounds
Chancellor's Committee (N.C. State University) for
University Neighborhood Study of Policies and Programs, 1982
North Carolina State Youth Council
Board of Directors, Governor's Appointee, 1981
Woman of the Year, September Days Club, 1980-1981
National recognition through selection by September
Days Clubs, Senior Citizens Organization
Nominated for Woman of the Year, Ladies Home Journal, 1978
Wake County Y.W.C.A.
Board of Advocates, 1980
Friends of Wake Library System
Executive Board of Directors, 1981
Conserva, Inc.: Project Advisory Committee, 1979
National Program for Volunteers in Vocational
Education, funded by U.S. Department of Education
Wake County Chapter of the United Nations, 1980
Appointed to Mayor's Committee for the United Nations
Precinct #1 - Raleigh
First Vice President several times and currently
Executive Committee - Wake County Democrats
Several time and currently
Current Organizations:
Women's Forum of North Carolina
League of Women Voters
Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
Delta Kappa Gamma, Honorary Member (National Teachers
Honor Sorority)
Mordecai Square Historical Society
Triangle Older Women's League
Raleigh N.O.W.
North Carolina State University Friends of the Library
St. Mary's College Friends of the Library
Beaufort Historical Association
Research Triangle International Visitors Center -
Steering Committee
Wake County Democratic Women - Charter Member
Wake County Democratic Men - Associate Member
Wake County Young Democrats - Associate Member
Wake Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
North Carolina Conservation Council
Elon College Alumni Association - Executive Committee
*Only a partial resume. For additional information see
biographical file in box 1.
DESCRIPTION
ACCESSIONS OF 1986 AND 1987
Note: This material has been roughly arranged into four
categories.
Subject Files, 1920-1984. (Boxes 1-4)
About 3500 items relating chiefly to Cannon's tenure as mayor
of Raleigh, N.C. Files consist of correspondence, clippings,
printed material, and other material. The majority of this
material is information that Cannon collected on various issues
relating to Raleigh. Also included is some material relating to
her 1977 and 1979 campaigns for mayor. These files are arranged
alphabetically by file title.
Campaign Files, 1977, 1979. (Box 5)
About 1200 items documenting Cannon's campaigns for mayor of
Raleigh, 1977 and 1979. Files consist chiefly of financial
records detailing Cannon's expenditures and gifts from
supporters. Also included are form letters, lists of people to
contact, scheduling materials, speeches and speech material,
campaign memorabilia, and other material. This box is
unarranged; only half of the items are in folders.
Issue Files, 1977-1979. (Box 6)
About 450 items relating to controversial issues during
Cannon's term as mayor. Files include newspaper clippings,
correspondence, memos, printed material, and other material.
Topics include libraries, sewage plant, CETA, Boylan Avenue
Bridge, and zoning. These files are unarranged but are clearly
labeled.
Other Material, 1920, 1977-1986. (Box 7)
About 50 items relating to Cannon's term as mayor and her life
as a public figure. Other material consists chiefly of Cannon's
notes for classes and a seminar that she took in city government
and political science, photographs, and her nephew's
dissertation. Also included are cassette tapes, video tapes, and
typed transcriptions of interviews done with Cannon by William
Friday, North Carolina People, WRAL-TV, and a student
participating in an oral history project.
ADDITION OF SEPTEMBER 1989 (ACC. 89111)
Size: About 1,500 items (5 linear feet).
Dates: Ca. 1925-1987.
Provenance: Received from Isabella Cannon of Raleigh, N.C.
Access: Closed, pending review by donor and subsequent
processing. Note that this material currently is
unarranged.
Description:
Box 8 Tax materials, 1970-1980
Family photographs
Letters from Iraq, early 1950s (carbons)
Letters and other material from China, India, and
Liberia, 1944-1947
Personal and family letters, late 1930s, early 1940s,
mid 1950s
9 Materials from China, 1970s
Household inventory, 1952-1954
Letters and other materials from Liberia, late 1940s
Birthday greetings, 1980s
Letters and personal materials (diary entries?), early
1950s.
Drafts of short stories, 1970s and perhaps earlier
Condolences and other materials regarding the final
illness and death of C. M. Cannon, 1953-1954
10 Files regarding compensation after the death of C. M.
Cannon, 1946-1958
Letters from and other materials regarding Roger L.
McQueen, inmate in the North Carolina correctional
system, 1982-1987
Correspondence (mostly carbons), chiefly from Iraq,
early 1950s
11 Poems and dramatic dialogue, chiefly typescript
Correspondence and miscellaneous items from China,
Liberia, Iraq, and other locations, 1920s-1950s
Photographs, 1920s-1950s
Diary entries, 1930s?
ADDITION OF JULY 1991 (ACC. 91093)
Size: About 25 items (1.5 linear feet).
Dates: 1978-1991.
Provenance: Received from Isabella Cannon of Raleigh, N.C.
Access: No restrictions. Use of video or audio tapes may
require production of viewing or listening copies.
Processing Note: Unarranged, but may be used with staff
assistance.
Description: Video and audio tapes featuring interviews with
Isabella Walton Cannon and a small amount of
printed material, chiefly relating to honors
bestowed upon Cannon. A list of the contents of
some of the tapes is filed with the materials.
Filed in Box 12.
ADDITION OF SEPTEMBER 1997 (Acc. 97040)
Size: 1 item.
Date: 1972.
Provenance: Received from Isabella Walton Cannon of Raleigh,
N.C., on 28 February 1997.
Access: No restrictions.
Description: “Oral History of the Macedonia Area,” compiled and
written by Isabella Cannon in 1972 for a cultural
anthropology class. Photocopy of typescript, 69
p., about history and genealogy of the Macedonia
community in Wake County, N.C. Original is in
North Carolina Collection.
Filed in Box 12.